How do you simplify the fraction $3/24$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2016-12-05T10:12:57

$1/8$

Observe that 3 will divide exactly into 24 in that $3xx8=24$

You have two approaches available. The first of these is the more common. The second is the same as the first but it looks different.

$color(blue)("Method 1")$

Divide top and bottom by 3 giving:

$3/24 -=(3-:3)/(24-:3) = 1/8$

The $-=$ means equivalent to
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$color(blue)("Method 2")$

Multiply by 1 and you do not change the value. But 1 comes in many forms so you can change the way the fraction looks without changing its value.

$color(green)( 3/24color(red)(xx1)" "->" "3/24color(red)(xx(" "1/3" ")/(1/3))" " =" "1/8$

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Note that
$3xx1/3$ is the same as $3-:3$
$24xx1/3$ is the same as $24-:3$

How do you simplify the fraction 3/243/24?